Send to a friendShould television cameras be allowed in the Supreme Court?

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Ed EspinozaWestern states Democratic consultant; former DNC official :

When Congress allowed C-SPAN to start broadcasting floor sessions, it was a major step in increasing government transparency. But the congressional grandstanding also increased.

So then does opening up the Supreme Court to cameras change our judicial process from one that is supposed to be centered on thought, deliberation and debate into one that threatens to become more based on showmanship and imagery? Showmanship has always existed in Congress, so allowing cameras in those chambers ultimately didn't change things all that much. I'm not sure the same can be said for Supreme Court proceedings.

Still, transparency is important and cameras have a way of shedding light on process. A worth while compromise would be to maintain the standard that no permanent cameras are allowed in the Supreme Court, but that the Justices can allow select cases to be broadcast from time to time.

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